Tag: Flying Scooters

Getting Scared at Knott’s Berry Farm

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Knott’s Berry / Scary Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm describes itself as America’s first theme park. Over the years, the park has been home to numerous attractions that have left their mark on American theme parks – including the world’s first rollover rollercoaster, the Corkscrew.

Camp Snoopy

As in every Cedar Fair amusement park, Knott’s Berry Farm also has a Snoopy Kinderland. However, it is relatively small here and currently only has a handful of attractions, as the Timberline Twister children’s rollercoaster has had to make way for Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster, which is due to open next year.

Sierra Sidewinder

The biggest attraction in this area is the Sierra Sidewinder spinning coaster from Mack Rides. As the second ride of its kind, it is interestingly different from its predecessor at Europa Park. The track here consists of many bends and helices, which cause the cars to whirl around wonderfully. You won’t find any major descents on the track, but this works in its favour, as it leads steadily downhill via smaller descents and beautiful bends and finishes by racing across the ground in quite intense helices. A great ride!

The Chilling Chambers

While Camp Snoopy is a busy themed area during the day, it is deserted in the evening. Although the area is used as a large scare zone, when the rides are not in operation, it’s hard to know what to do in this part of the park.

The Best Of Maze The Chilling Chambers is located at the entrance to the area and gives an insight into the history of Knott’s Scary Farm. In principle, it’s quite cool, but the many themes from the last 50 years make it seem a bit jumbled together. It is also difficult to act in, which means that the scary element is somewhat neglected. 

Fiesta Village

In front of the Jaguar rollercoaster is a large square that is strongly reminiscent of the Spanish colonial era. Here you will find the two swings La Revolución and Dragon Swing as well as the round rides Carousel de California, Hat Dance, Los Voladores and Sol Spin.

Montezuma’s Revenge

The Fiesta Village is also home to the Shuttle Loop roller coaster Montezuma’s Revenge. Similar to Psyké Underground in Walibi Belgium, this Schwarzkopf roller coaster is also being extensively renovated to make it fit for the future.

Jaguar!

The Jaguar! children’s rollercoaster has quite an interesting layout. The ride covers a large part of the Fiesta Village themed area and consists mainly of large helices and flat descents and ascents. Nevertheless, the ride is great fun.

Boardwalk

The Boardwalk theme area transports us to a 1950s seaside resort, with parts of the area reminiscent of the Roaring 20s. The park’s most striking attractions are located here, as well as the theme park’s large theatre.

Xcelerator

Passing the S&S Combo Tower Supreme Scream, we continue to the Xcelerator rollercoaster, which has unfortunately not been in operation since an incident on the Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster. Rumours of an imminent reopening were not to come true until a month after my visit. In any case, the Intamin Accelerator Coaster with its top hat and subsequent curves is very appealing, which is why I will definitely be back to ride it again.

Mesmer: Sideshow Of The Mind

The queue for Mesmer: Sideshow Of The Mind went once around the Xcelerator, so you had a pretty cool view of the coaster. The maze itself was also very strong. At first it was reminiscent of a funfair sideshow, then story-wise it dived deeper and deeper into the human soul and became more and more psychedelic. A drug trip come true, so to speak.

Cinema Slasher

The slasher maze Horror Slasher was the weakest maze of the event. Although the material offered a lot of potential, it ultimately failed in its realisation, making Maze look like a heavily edited version of an R-rated film, as all genre-typical depictions of violence were cut out.

Coast Rider

You can’t really go wrong with a Wild Mouse. The ride with its tight hairpin bends and steep descents is actually always fun. At least that’s what I thought. But Knott’s Berry Farm has turned the fun into a real ordeal. Thanks to the retrofitted shin bars, the ride only hurts. Passengers’ freedom of movement does not have to be so restricted that adults 1.78 metres tall can no longer ride without pain. In any case, the installed solution seems to be more of a quick fix for an unlikely problem than a well thought-out solution. In any case, I won’t be boarding this rollercoaster again voluntarily.

HangTime

The Infinity Coaster HangTime stands on the site of the infamous Shoot the Chute Perilous Plunge, which plunged almost vertically into the water basin. So it’s no wonder that Hangtime is even steeper.

After the vertical lift, we are initially stuck in the holding brake for a little while before we take the plunge into the abyss. With plenty of pressure, we then head through the first valley and straight back up the steep ascent. Once at the top, we head straight into the negative G stall loop, which we exit to the side. We immediately continue into an oversized corkscrew. This is immediately followed by a cutback-like curve. Immediately afterwards, we are lifted out of our seats in a double down before entering a cobra roll. Interestingly, this is the last element of the ride. A short ascent later, we are already in the final brake of the rollercoaster.

HangTime is a good Infinity Coaster with a very unusual layout. The fast sequence of elements and the very compact layout speak for themselves, but the ride comfort is not the best.

Surfside Gliders und Pacific Scrambler

Opposite the HangTime rollercoaster is a small pier on which the two classic American flat rides Surfside Gliders and Pacific Scrambler are located.

Knott’s Bear-y Tales 4D

The interactive dark ride Knott’s Beary Tales: Return to the Fair takes us on a fun adventure to try and recapture as many cakes as possible from the notorious cake thief Crafty Coyote. The cute ride is based on the original Knott’s Bear-y Tales dark ride that operated in the park from 1975 to 1986 and replaces the rather short-lived attraction Journey to the Iron Reef.

Room 13

The entrance to Maze Room 13 is located right next to the Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars, but first we head to the Blind Tiger Bar before moving through the Argive Hotel to uncover the secret of the Devil’s Elixir. The theme of the maze is set in the Prohibition era, which has been brilliantly realised here. Overall, Room 13 is a very coherent and well-staged maze.

Ghost Town

Pony Express

The Pony Express is a small roller coaster that is characterised by its flywheel launch.  In addition to the surprising start, the ride has some tight curves and hills. Unfortunately, the waiting time here is always very long, so that multiple rides are hardly possible.

Origins – The Curse of Calico

Origins: The Curse of Calico tells the story of the fog that hangs over the streets of the ghost town every year during Knott’s Scary Farm. It all began with the execution of Sarah Marshall from Calico, who was found guilty of witchcraft. But those who had convicted Sarah were also guilty and incurred the witch’s wrath. The witch cursed the inhabitants of Calico, who now roam the ghost town as the undead. The maze is still very atmospheric at the beginning, but becomes less and less so towards the end.

Calico River Rapids

The Calico River Rapids is one of the most beautiful rapids rides that Intamin has to offer. The fast-paced ride through the rapids is accompanied by numerous animatronics, and the degree of wetness is very moderate by American standards.

The Grimoire

In The Grimoire, we experience what can go wrong when you read aloud from a cursed book. As visitors to a holiday camp, we are led through numerous loosely connected scenes that illustrate the horror of the book. By mixing different styles, the Maze is unfortunately one of the weaker ones of the event.

Calico Mine Ride

The old Calico Mine Train is a must-see, even if you have to queue for a long time.  The ride through the mine offers some great scenes and surprises.

Timber Mountain Log Ride

The Timber Mountain Log Ride is one of the most beautiful log flumes in the world. The ride through the artificial mountain has a few surprises in store. While modern log flumes can only boast gimmicks, the attraction, which opened in 1969, is particularly impressive with its variety (especially in the current), detailed scenes and numerous animatronics. For me, it’s the best log flume in the world.

Wax Works

The Maze Wax Works tells the story of an abandoned wax museum from which strange noises emanate. Dr August Scratch, a former plastic surgeon, has broken into the abandoned museum to present his new, eerie figures made of burning wax and bloody flesh. As you walk through the museum, you hear screams. Then you are confronted by red-hot cauldrons into which victims are immersed and transformed into Dr Scratch’s latest wax figures. Now all that remains is to escape through this very well-made maze.

The Depths

In The Depths, we follow in the footsteps of a mining crew condemned to death, who are left to their own devices in the catacombs of a gloomy coastal town.  The deeper we go, the greater the horror becomes and by the time we explore a sunken ship, the horror takes over. All in all, The Depth is a beautifully staged maze.

Bloodline: 1842

In Bloodline: 1842, we head to the battlefields of the war-torn streets of Valdonia. There we set off in search of the other Daybreakers with whom we want to overthrow the king of the Valhymphri vampires. All in all, Bloodline: 1842 is one of the most atmospheric mazes of the event and therefore highly recommended.

Dark Entities

In Dark Entities, we beam down to a destroyed space station. Sinister forces have taken over the station and turned the crew into multidimensional mutants. We have to escape quickly, because the dark entities are planning to wipe out all life on board the station forever. All in all, a rather mediocre maze.

Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider is the big wooden roller coaster in the park. The ride runs through the back of the ghost town of Calico and through an area on the other side of Grand Avenue.

The ride on the Ghost Rider begins with a sloping left-hand bend out of the station. After a wide right-hand bend, you reach the ride’s lift hill. Once at the top, it’s straight into the first drop. With plenty of shake, rattle and roll, you ride through a left-hand bend close to the bottom and immediately afterwards into a large camelback. With plenty of lateral forces, you go straight through the first turn of the layout. After a short right-hand bend, it’s downhill again. From now on, we make our way through the wooden construction of the roller coaster, following the L-shaped layout of the roller coaster. After another uphill section, we turn left a little before entering another turning curve. After a short straight section, we descend back into the wooden structure. Numerous small hills and many bends follow, in which we are pressed firmly into the side wall of the train. Still travelling at quite a high speed, we then enter a long helix. After a short hill, we reach the rollercoaster’s braking section.

Ghost Rider is a really solid wooden roller coaster, but by CCI standards it is rather unimpressive. Although the ride offers a very interesting and above all long layout, as well as the lateral forces that are so characteristic of the manufacturer’s style, it does not offer the very abrupt and pronounced airtime that can be found on Megafobia at Oakwood Theme Park, for example.

Silver Bullet

The last roller coaster in this report is also the roller coaster that dominates the entrance area with its large Cobra Roll. We are of course talking about Silver Bullet, the theme park’s large inverted coaster.

After a short right-hand bend, the ride on Silver Bullet begins directly with the roller coaster’s lift hill. Once at the top, the ride takes a right-hand bend that gets steeper and steeper. In the valley, you are immediately pulled into the rollercoaster’s large loop. This is followed by a hill that bends slightly to the left and leads into the big Cobra Roll. You then enter the large Zero-G Roll, which merges into a left-turning helix. This is followed by the first corkscrew to the left and, after a short bend, the second corkscrew to the right. With a lot of pressure, you then enter a tight helix, after which you find yourself in the braking section of the ride.

Silver Bullet is a breathtaking inverted coaster with a really beautiful layout. I particularly like the dynamic part with the two corkscrews. The rest of the ride is also very thrilling for an inverted coaster of this size, which is why I always enjoy getting back on.

Pictures Knott’s Berry Farm

Conclusion Knott’s Berry Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm is a great theme park with a really nice line-up and lots of very special attractions, my favourite of which was the Timber Mountain Log Ride. A visit in conjunction with the Knott’s Scary Farm evening event is particularly recommended.

Conclusion Knott’s Scary Farm

Knott’s Scary Farm is considered the Halloween event on the west coast. As I visited the event on a Sunday evening, the waiting times at the mazes were very limited, so I had no problems doing all the mazes, many of them without waiting. Particularly noteworthy were the Bloodline: 1842, Mesmer: Sideshow Of The Mind and Wax Works mazes.

I found it a bit of a shame that you’re always travelling in a large group in the Mazes, which means that the Mazes themselves aren’t as scary. Even if you’re lucky enough to be alone for a while, you’ll soon bump into the group in front of you again. In this respect, I have to praise the Halloween Horror Event at Movie Park Germany, as not only do they offer mazes of a similar standard to those here at Knott’s Scary Farm, but you usually only walk through the maze with very few people for a few minutes.

All in all, I had a lot of fun at Knott’s Scary Farm. Not only was I able to visit all the mazes, but I was also able to ride many of the rollercoasters at night without having to queue for a long time. A great event!

 

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Click here for the next report of the California Adventure Tour

California Adventure Day 15 and 17 / Knott's Berry Farm

Having a great day at Six Flags America

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Six Flags America

Main Street 1776

The first impression on entering Six Flags America is extremely positive. From 1776 Main Street, the paths lead to the themed areas Looney Tunes Movie Town, Chesapeake, Mardi Gras and the extremely attractive Hurricane Harbor water park, which is also included in the admission price. In addition to the carousel, wave swinger and teacup ride, you can also take a ride on the vintage cars of Minuteman Motors.

Looney Tunes Movie Town

Looney Tunes Movie Town, home to Zamperla’s Great Chase rollercoaster, is one of two children’s areas at the theme park.  In this area, there is a good chance you will meet your favourite Looney Tunes characters.

Mardi Gras

The Mardi Gras themed area offers a very nice ambience and some very cool rides. In addition to the French Quarter Flyers – the classic flying scooters – there is the Big Easy Speedway go-kart track, the Chance Rides Falling Star Zydeco Zinger, which unfortunately can only be ridden in twos, the Bourbon Street Fireball flat ride and the absolutely brilliant Intamin Voodoo Drop freefall tower. You can also experience the Ragin’ Cajun and Wild One roller coasters in this area.

Ragin’ Cajun

The Reverchon Spinning Coaster Ragin’ Cajun fits perfectly into the Mardi Gras themed area, which is perhaps due to the fact that the ride was already operated in the Mardi Gras themed area of the Six Flags Great America theme park between 2004 and 2013. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to experience the ride on the day I visited.

Wild One

Although the Wild One wooden coaster only came to the park in 1986, it is the second oldest roller coaster in America. Prior to that, the wooden giant stood for 68 years at Paragon Park in Massachusetts, where the ride was known as the Giant Coaster. Wild One is now over 100 years old.

The ride on Wild One starts out quite leisurely with a long straight and a left turn before reaching the ride’s lift hill. Once at the top, you immediately enter the first drop. With a lot of speed you then go over the first airtime hill and immediately under the final drop of the park’s former log flume, which makes for a great near miss moment. After a double up you enter the high turn, which you ride at a good speed. With the best view of the now clearly visible remains of the log flume, the ride continues with a double down into the depths. Two big hills are on the way. A couple of smaller hills along the Mardi Gras themed area follow. After a left turn, the ride enters the big helix which is the finale of the ride.

The Wild One wooden roller coaster has a very fast-paced layout, but it slows down considerably towards the end. Unfortunately, the ride was also quite rough, which is why I ended up leaving it at one ride.

Gotham City

There are also plenty of rides in the Gotham City themed area. Alongside the classic Riddle Me This Round-Up ride, there is the absolutely fantastic Harley Quinn Spinsanity swing ride and the giant Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth Star Flyer.

Joker’s Jinx

After boarding the Joker’s Jinx we take off straight from the station. At full speed we immediately enter the extremely pressurised Cobra Roll before flying over the ground after two headstands. After a pressure packed valley we head straight up a sidewinder before cruising through the top of the ride. After a few turns we pass through a strange straight before entering the lower part of the ride. In a constant up and down motion we spiral down before changing direction after a wide left turn. We quickly approach the ground again before changing direction again. After two more steep turns close to the ground, we find ourselves upside down for a fourth time in a corkscrew, whereupon we reach the braking section and soon find ourselves back in the station.

The launch coaster Joker’s Jinx is a very solid roller coaster with a nice track design. It’s nice to ride the Flight of Fear coaster in an open area and see the spaghetti bowl in its full glory.

Penguin’s Blizzard River

A ride on a WhiteWaterWest Spinning Rapids Ride is always a pleasure. Unfortunately, Penguin’s Blizzard River was still closed for the season on the day I visited.

Superman Ride of Steel

There is hardly a better roller coaster than an Intamin mega coaster. The roller coasters, which are usually 200 feet high, offer a fast ride with a lot of airtime. At least that’s the case with the newer rides. Six Flags America’s Superman Ride of Steel is a carbon copy of the Ride of Steel coaster at Darien Lake, and the initial installation focused on a pronounced speed profile.

After the first drop, the ride goes straight into a low to the ground right turn and then over a large camelback. This is followed by a very long straight before entering a very flat 540° helix. Still at very high speeds, the track continues straight for a while before the second airtime hill follows. This is followed by another long straight and the second big helix of the ride. The finale is a bit unusual, consisting of three airtime hills before hitting the brakes.

Superman Ride of Steel is not a bad roller coaster, but not a good one either. Despite the excellent smoothness, the airtime and the high speed, the ride is a bit boring; after all, most of the ride is just long straights or even longer helices.

Batwing

Either Six Flags America has a lot of space or they had big plans when they opened the Batwing coaster. Vekoma’s Flying Dutchman stands a bit apart from the rest of the park.

But the coaster has nothing to hide. Once you have sat down on the train, pushed the bar down and put on the two-piece vest, the ride can begin. What you think is the back row turns out to be the front, thanks to an ingenious folding mechanism. Lying on your back, you leave the station and immediately enter the lift hill after a turn. Once at the top, we first enter a curve which gradually increases its banking and brings us into flying position. Looking down, we immediately enter the ride’s biggest drop. We enjoy our flight for a while in a big, steep turn, before lying elegantly on our backs in the next turn. After a descent we enter a loop which is simply breathtaking in this riding position. After a headstand 3/4 of the way through the loop, we whiz through the valley and change riding position again in a steep turn. Now we fly through a flat valley and a steep turn before turning twice on our own axis in a double inline twist. Finally we fly through a low to the ground helix before being flipped on our backs in a fly-to-lie element and shortly after reaching the brake section of the ride.

The ride on the Batwing is truly breathtaking. It’s just a shame that there are so few of the Flying Dutchman left. Compared to other Flying Coasters in America, Batwing has the edge and offers a really nice mix of positive forces and the feeling of weightlessness during all the flight manoeuvres. All in all, a great ride.

Whistlestop Park

Whistlestop Park is the second of the theme park’s two children’s areas. In addition to several rides from Zamperla, there is a miniature version of the Whistlestop Train to match the large Capital Railways park railway.

Chesapeake

The Chesapeake themed area is also home to some really cool flat rides, including Pirates Flight – a rare Flying Dutchman from Intamin – the High Seas pirate boat and a classic Eli Bridge scrambler called Cyclone.

Firebird

Like Ragin’ Cajun, Firebird was originally located at Six Flags Great America. Formerly known as Iron Wolf and Apocalypse, it is B&M’s first roller coaster. From 1990 to 2018, the coaster could be ridden standing up, but since 2019 it has been a sit-down floorless coaster.

The ride on Firebird starts immediately after a dip as you enter the lift. Once at the top, the ride descends in an increasingly steep curve. With a lot of pressure we then enter the loop of the ride. We gain height in a right turn. Another descent takes us parallel to the loop, where we enter a horizontal loop that circles and crosses the loop once. After a straight, which used to be a block brake, we descend again and at the same time enter the second inversion of the ride. After the corkscrew, it goes through a steep turn and a fun combination of figure-eight turns into the final braking section.

Unfortunately, B&M’s first ride is no longer a good coaster. Where you used to be able to ride a merciless stand-up coaster, you are now beaten by the restraints. The ride should have been demolished rather than desperately given a new lease of life. As an apocalyptic bird, the ride doesn’t really fit in with the pirate theme, but it looks good.

Roar

The wooden coaster Roar is the second coaster from GCI. Similar to Wildcat at Hersheypark, the twisting and playful layout promises plenty of action. It is the only GCI wooden coaster to use classic PTC trains instead of the Millennium Flyer.

The ride on Roar starts with a long right turn. After two short changes of direction you reach the lift hill. At the top we immediately enter a steep turn. A short climb then leads us into a steep left-hander, after which we cross the hill we just rode over at a 90 degree angle. After a classic camel-back, we take a steep, high-altitude turn over hill and dale before plunging down again. With a lot of momentum we now take a bend close to the ground and a hill directly into the next steep bend. Now we race through a covered section of track right across the course. Following a Bayernkurve and several low-hanging hills, we enter the final right-hander and slam on the brakes.

Like Wildcat at Hersheypark, Roar is a really good wooden coaster. The ride has a great layout with a really good flow and a consistently high speed. The ride characteristics are also really good for a wooden coaster of this age, which is why I rode several laps in a row.

Shipwreck Falls

Man, I love a good Shoot the Chutes, especially when it is an O.D. Hopkins ride. Unfortunately, like all the water rides on the day I visited, Shipwreck Falls was still closed for the season.

Coyote Creek

Der letzte Themenbereich in Six Flags America ist Coyote Creek. Dieser Western-Themenbereich ist wirklich gut gemacht und bietet neben dem Autoscooter Los Coches Locos auch das HUSS Break Dance Rodeo und die extrem coole (und leider geschlossene) Wasserbahn Renegade Rapids. Außerdem gibt es einen stilechten Saloon, der als Hauptrestaurant des Parks dient.

Mind Eraser

The main attraction of the Coyote Creek themed area is the Mind Eraser from Vekoma. The classic suspended looping coaster offers the tried and tested layout with roll over, sidewinder and the two inline twists towards the end of the ride. The ride characteristics during the ride are fine, so you can get on without hesitation.

Pictures Six Flags America

Conclusion Six Flags America

I really enjoyed Six Flags America. The park is really well designed for a Six Flags park. There are some very coherent themed areas and an extremely large number of flat rides, which makes the park feel more like a European theme park. I can’t agree with the often criticised slow loading times of the roller coasters, as on the day I visited there was not much going on, thanks to the forecast rain. As a result, I was able to ride every ride without having to wait. I also like the fact that the staff here are quite well equipped (with headsets etc), so that the trains were always sent on their way quite quickly. In short, I had a pretty good time at the park.

Six Flags America / The Stumbled Runner Day 11

Enjoying the Smoky Mountains at Dollywood

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Dollywood

Timber Canyon

The Timber Canyon themed area is home to two of the theme park’s largest roller coasters, as well as the small children’s roller coaster Whistle Punk Chaser.

Thunderhead

The largest roller coaster in the Timber Canyon themed area is Thunderhead, a wooden roller coaster built by GCI in 2004.

The ride on Thunderhead starts with a short pre-lift section consisting of a right turn and a small left turn. Shortly afterwards we enter the lift hill which takes us up to the starting height. With the best views over the Wildwood Grove themed area, we then descend in a steep turn. While climbing a hill, we first turn left and then right. We then cross the next valley and immediately climb another hill. A wide right-hand bend takes us over several hills and through the station. We then ride over hill and dale to the other side of the track, where we enter a sweeping helix. After two more turns we reach the final brake of the ride.

Like Troy at Toverland, Thunderhead is a really good wooden coaster. The GCI coaster is a merciless fun machine, especially in the rain, giving the layout an even wilder feel due to the limited visibility. In short, a truly great coaster!

Drop Line

Due to an incident on a similar tower from the same manufacturer, the Drop Line freefall tower was unfortunately closed during my visit.

Mystery Mine

Mystery Mine is one of the first Eurofighter coasters from Gerstlauer. The ride has a very impressive setting and is designed to simulate a ride through an abandoned mine.

The ride on Mystery Mine starts with a small drop out of the station. The ride then goes up to the first vertical lift. Interestingly, the ride doesn’t go straight down, but through a series of small drops. Where before there was a big drop followed by an Immelmann turn, now there is a left turn. This is followed by a fairly steep descent and the steep bend that leads to the block brake. After a Bayernkurve we return to the building where we enter the second vertical lift. At the top, we narrowly avoid an explosion by plunging into an overhanging and twisting drop. Back in daylight, we ride through a 1. 5-fold roll and finally into the final half loop. Shortly after we reach the brakes.

Mystery Mine is an interesting mix of roller coaster and dark ride. All the turns are extremely tight and make full use of the Eurofighter car’s capabilities, to the regret of the passengers, as the ride characteristics are not the best on this ride. However, the high-speed finale of the ride makes up for all the effort. All in all, a fun rollercoaster.

Wildwood Grove

Wildwood Grove is a very nice themed area. In addition to the large suspended family coaster Dragonflier, there is the ship swing Giant Tree Swing and the flying scooter Mad Mockingbird, where you can control your own flight. 

Dragonflier

When the Orkanen roller coaster opened at Fårup Sommerland in Denmark, it was met with great amazement. The layout, which was specially designed for the park, was built on a lake and dives into a tunnel immediately after the first drop, while the rest of the track runs largely at ground level over the lake. When Dollywood then built a ride with the same layout, a tunnel was also included. After the first drop, the track leads us very smoothly through an overbanked turn and over a small speed bump into a wide helix. We immediately cross the station building to land in another helix on the other side. A compact right-hand bend leads us into a small depression. After another bend, we enter the station building and our very entertaining ride unfortunately comes to an end.

Wilderness Pass

FireChaser Express

Firefighters are considered heroes in America. So it’s no surprise that Herschend Family Entertainment’s two major theme parks have a roller coaster and even an entire themed area dedicated to them. Dollywood is home to the FireChaser Express family roller coaster.

The ride on the FireChaser Express begins with a launch out of the station. After two sweeping turns, we reach the coaster’s lift hill. Once at the top, the track first takes us through a right turn and a dip. After a left turn, there is a larger drop, which then turns into a steep turn. We then go over two hills at some speed. We then cross another dip and climb a slope.  After passing a block brake, the track takes us through another left-hand bend, which again drops off quite steeply. Now it’s over hill and dale to the other side of the track. After a fun ride around a bend, we ride over a switch to the next block brake. Here we are treated to a little show. As the fireworks go off, we back out of the area, then ride over a short hill and through a Bayernkurve. After a steep descent we reach the final braking section. Shortly afterwards we reverse into the station.

FireChaser Express is the perfect family rollercoaster. The impressive height and the great location in the park make the ride even more interesting and the backwards final is a real highlight.

Wild Eagle

One of the most impressive roller coasters at Dollywood is the B&M Wing Coaster Wild Eagle. The ride looks even more impressive from a distance thanks to the track layout on a mountain ridge. But before the ride begins, passengers can expect a Dolly Parton song on a loop and really bad jokes from the staff.

After a left turn we reach the lift hill. Once at the top, the descent is unusually straight for this type of coaster. After a steep descent we enter a huge loop. A short left turn then leads us into a zero-G roll. With a lot of momentum we enter the classic Immelmann and then a long corkscrew. Finally, the ride takes us over an airtime hill into the double helix finale of the ride, before coming to a stop in the coaster’s braking section.

The Wild Eagle Wing Coaster is particularly impressive due to its breathtaking location. The layout has some great elements, but at the end it seems a little too long due to the double helix finale. All in all, Wild Eagle is a very solid coaster.

Craftman’s Valley

Craftman’s Valley is the most beautiful part of Dollywood. As in its sister park Silver Dollar CIty, numerous artisans showcase their skills in this area. In addition to many already manufactured goods, you can also buy individual products and watch them being made.

Tennessee Tornado

Tennessee Tornado is Arrow’s latest looping coaster. It is also the only looping coaster from the manufacturer that was developed with a different design philosophy – so there are no copy & paste elements like on their previous rides.

After a ride through the coaster’s maintenance hall, we immediately climb the coaster’s lift hill. Once at the top, we enter a very tight turn before plunging down into a large tunnel. Back in daylight, we immediately enter an oversized loop that is slightly tilted to one side. After a steep turn we enter the second, more classic loop. Finally there is a quick change of direction in a sidewinder. Our path then takes us through a very sweeping turn, before the final climb towards the brakes. The transition is very abrupt, which makes for some great airtime, especially in the front of the train.

Tennessee Tornado is a really nice looping coaster with unusually sized loops. While the airtime is very pronounced as you enter the braking section at the front of the train, the drop at the back of the train is much more of a pull. All in all, a great ride!

Blazing Fury

The Blazing Fury indoor roller coaster is based on the Fire in the Hole dark ride from its sister park Silver Dollar CIty. Passing various scenes, the ride continues uphill in a large oval. We watch as the residents try to extinguish their village before we cross a collapsing bridge, giving the ride a rollercoaster feel. A second descent follows when we have to dodge an oncoming train. Shouting “Fire in the Hole”, we crash into a dynamite store, which fortunately can be extinguished. Shortly afterwards, the train slows down and the lovely dark ride comes to an end.

Daredevil Falls

The Daredevil Falls log flume is a beautifully slatted super flume by O.D. Hopkins. The ride has a single drop with additional water fountains that set the scene nicely. However, you won’t get particularly wet on the ride.

Owens Farm

Owens Farm is home to the big Barnstormer Swing. Made by S&S, the Screamin’ Swing is one of the most beautiful flat rides in the park and offers a terrific ride.

The Village and Country Fair

The Village and Country Fair themed areas are located close to each other. Most of the theme park’s family attractions are located in these areas, including the Waltzing Swinger wave swinger, the Lemon Twist tea cups ride and the Aviator Sky Rider, where you can control the flight of your own car. The main attraction in this area is the film Heartsong, which is shown in the Heartsong Theatre and features a flight over the Smoky Mountains and several scenes with the young Dolly Parton. Basically, Dolly hasn’t changed in all these years, but the film technology has, which is why the film looks a bit old-fashioned today despite the many special effects. The fantastic flying scene at the beginning of the film would really come into its own in a flying theatre – an attraction that unfortunately does not yet exist here in Dollywood. In any case, you shouldn’t miss a visit to the Heartsong Theatre.

Dollywood Express

The Dollywood Express takes us on a longer tour of the park. Unlike the train ride at its sister park, Silver Dollar City, the train does not stop for a comedy show in which the train is robbed. However, the views of the park and the Smoky Mountains are well worth the ride.

Rivertown Junction

The Rivertown Junction themed area is home to the Smoky Mountain River Rampage rapids ride. Here you go through a neatly designed canal with all kinds of obstacles. Fortunately, the ride wasn’t too wet on the day I visited, as the water here was quite cold.

Jukebox Junction

The Jukebox Junction themed area takes you back to the 1950s. In addition to the main attraction Lightning Rod, you can also take a ride on the beautifully designed vintage car ride Rockin’ Roadway.

Lightning Rod

Like Silver Dollar City, Dollywood is home to one of RMC’s masterpieces. As the first wooden coaster with a launch, Lightning Rod takes its passengers up the mountain and then back down over a series of wild elements.

Even before I could take my first ride on Lightning Rod, the ride came down for several minutes. While waiting, I struck up a conversation with another rollercoaster fan, with whom I quickly became friends. As a big fan of the Kangaroo Chronicles, I was delighted to meet a variety artist who travels around America’s stages as Showtime Steve. In this sense, I am the kangaroo. His act of balancing two ladders on his chin is pretty crazy.

After a bend, we immediately enter the launch section of the track, which takes us up the hill quite quickly. However, the following crest is crossed at a more leisurely pace. After another hill, we start to descend relentlessly. We then shoot up a hill, where we experience the greatest airtime when tilted 90° to the side. Following the terrain, we then enter a wide right-hand turn, at the top of which we briefly turn in the opposite direction. Back in the valley, the track climbs up over several hills. This is followed by the quadruple down, visible from the park, where we find our way back into the valley over four airtime hills and are mercilessly lifted out of our seats. Finally, we climb a steep turn. After another descent we finally reach the braking section of the coaster.

The Lightning Rod is a world class ride. The launch up the hill is pretty awesome. The rest of the layout is also very impressive and fits perfectly into the topography. The quadruple drop towards the end of the ride is awesome. Unfortunately the last turn ends with a drop that is a bit too high.

Pictures Dollywood

Conclusion Dollywood

Like Silver Dollar City, Dollywood is an amusement park that is second to none. What Dolly Parton has created together with Herschend Family Entertainment since 1986 is impressive. The park has its very own charm, which is not only due to its location in the Smoky Mountains, the great atmosphere and the remarkable attractions, but above all to the people who work here. You simply feel at home. I for one can hardly wait to go back to the Smoky Mountains.

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Dollywood / The Stumbled Runner Day 4 and 5